Hydrangea plant named ‘COUHACINQ’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘COUHACINQ’ is disclosed, characterized by globular to conical-shaped panicles with flowers that age from greenish-white, to white, to light pink to dark red. Plants have compact habits, brown immature stems, and dark green foliage. The new variety is a Hydrangea, typically produced as an outdoor ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Hydrangea x paniculata.

Variety denomination: ‘COUHACINQ’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor in Vosges, France. The objective of the breeding programwas to produce new Hydrangea varieties with compact plant habits andpanicles that age to vivid dark pink to red. The crossing resulting inthe new variety was made during 2010.

The seed and pollen parents cannot be identified as seed was bulkcollected.

The new variety was found and selected by the inventor in 2012 at thesame nursery in Vosges, France. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar‘COUHACINQ’ was first performed during 2012 in Vosges, France, bysoftwood cuttings. Through subsequent propagation, multiple additionalgenerations have been reproduced, having shown that the unique featuresof this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘COUHACINQ’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘COUHACINQ’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘COUHACINQ’ as a new and distinct Hydrangeacultivar:

-   -   1. Globular to conical-shaped panicles.    -   2. Flowers age from greenish-white, to white, to light pink,        medium pink and finally dark pink.    -   3. Brown stem color on new growth.    -   4. Dark green foliage.

PARENT COMPARISON

Comparison cannot be made to the parent varieties are they cannot beidentified.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar Hydrangea ‘COUHACINQ’ can be compared to thecommercial variety Hydrangea ‘RENBA’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,509. Plantsof ‘COUHACINQ’ are similar to plants of ‘RENSBA’ in most horticulturalcharacteristics, however, plants of ‘COUHACINQ’ differ in the following:

-   -   1. Flower panicles of the new variety are more globular than the        conical flower panicles of this comparator.    -   2. Plants of the new variety are more compact and bushy compared        to the larger, more vigorous plants of this comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate typical plants of ‘COUHACINQ’grown outdoors in Vosges, France. Plants are approximately 2-3 yearsold, grown in the ground in a trial field. The Figures illustrateinflorescences of the new variety at different stages of maturity. Thephotographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colorsmay appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it isas accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

FIG. 1 illustrates a plant of ‘COUHACINQ’ with inflorescences in theearliest stage of maturity, taken during July 2017.

FIG. 2 illustrates a plant of ‘COUHACINQ’ with inflorescences in thesemi-mature stage of maturity, with pink coloration just beginning toshow. This photo was taken in mid-August.

FIG. 3 illustrates in full color a close up of a mature inflorescence of‘COUHACINQ’, with the photo taken during the first week of September.

FIG. 4 illustrates in full color a close up of an inflorescence of‘COUHACINQ’ at the most mature stage, with the photo taken at the end ofSeptember.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2007, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘COUHACINQ’ plants grown in a ploy-greenhousein Vosges, France. The plants were about 2 to 3 years old. Temperaturesranged from 5° C. to 10° C. at night to 18° C. to 27° C. during the day.No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments were given to the plants.Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical planttypes.

-   Botanical classification: Hydrangea x paniculata ‘COUHACINQ’.

PROPAGATION

-   Typical method: Softwood cuttings.-   Root initiation: 20 days at 20° C. during summer.-   Time to produce rooted cutting: About 2 months at 20° C. during    summer.-   Roots: Dense, freely branching, fibrous, thick to thin. Creamy white    to brown in color, not accurately measured with R.H.S. chart.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upright, and somewhat outwards, compact.-   Height: 70 to 80 cm.-   Plant spread: 60 cm.-   Pot size of plant described: 2 gallon container.-   Age of plant described: Approximately 2 years.-   Growth rate: Good.-   Plant vigor: Moderately vigorous.-   Stem:    -   -   Branching.—Basal.        -   Number of lateral branches.—8.        -   Shape.—Rounded.        -   Color.—RHS Brown 200B with Grey-Brown 199C lenticels.        -   Length.—50 cm.        -   Width.—7 mm.        -   Aspect.—60 to 70°.        -   Strength.—Strong with some flexibility.        -   Pubescence.—None.        -   Internode length.—6 cm to 10 cm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Whorl (3 leaves equally spaced around each            node).        -   Shape.—Broad elliptic.        -   Length.—10 cm.        -   Width.—5 cm.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Serrulate.        -   Texture of top surface.—Roughly textured with coarse,            bristly hairs.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Roughly textured with coarse,            bristly hairs and pronounced venation.        -   Pubescence.—Yes, upper and lower surfaces.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: RHS Green 136A. Young            foliage under side: RHS Green 136B. Mature foliage upper            side: RHS Green 139A Mature foliage, under side: RHS Green            137A.-   Venation:    -   -   Type.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Upper side: RHS Green 139C. Under side: Green 139B.-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—4 cm.        -   Width.—4 mm.        -   Color.—RHS Brown 200B.        -   Texture.—Lightly pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE

-   Natural flowering season: Summer.-   Inflorescence type: Mophead.-   Panicle:    -   -   Shape.—Conical to globular.        -   Height.—15 to 24 cm.        -   Diameter.—12 to 18 cm.-   Fragrance: Faintly sweet.-   Sterile flowers:    -   -   Flowers per inflorescence.—200 to 300.        -   Aspect.—Outward.        -   Shape.—Cruciform/stellate.        -   Length.—2 cm.        -   Diameter.—3 cm.        -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Persistent.-   Bud:    -   -   Length.—3 mm.        -   Diameter.—3 mm.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Green 145C.-   Petals:    -   -   Number per flower.—3 to 4.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Tip.—Acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Length.—3 mm.        -   Width.—2 mm.        -   Texture.—Upper side: Smooth. Under side: Smooth.        -   Color.—When Opening, Upper side: RHS Green 145D. When            Opening, Under side: RHS Green 145D. Fully Opened, Upper            side: RHS White N155A. Fully Opened, Under side: RHS White            N155A.-   Sepal:    -   -   Number per flower.—4 to 5.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Tip.—Broad rounded.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Length.—1.8 cm.        -   Width.—8 mm.        -   Texture.—Upper side: Smooth. Under side: Smooth.        -   Color.—Earliest Stage, Upper side: RHS Green-White 157A.            Earliest Stage, Under side: RHS Green-White 157A.            Semi-mature, Upper side: RHS White 155A. Lightly tinged            overall Yellow 4D, margin begins to be flushed Red-Purple            72C. Semi-mature, Under side: RHS White N155A. Lightly            tinged overall Yellow 4D, margin begins to be flushed            Red-Purple 70D. Mature, Upper side: RHS Yellow 4D heavily or            completely flushed 61C. Mature, Under side: RHS Yellow 4D            heavily flushed 61C. Mature before senescence Upper side:            RHS Red 53C, veins Red-Purple 59C, base yellow 5D. Mature            before senescence, Under side: RHS Red 53D, veins Red-Purple            59C, base yellow 4D.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—1.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—2 mm.        -   Angle.—45°.        -   Strength.—Good, flexible.        -   Texture.—Lightly pubescent.        -   Color.—RHS Yellow 4D.-   Fertile flowers: Absent or highly reduced and inconspicuous.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Sterile flower:-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—About 8.        -   Filament color.—RHS White 155A.        -   Filament length.—3 mm.-   Anthers:    -   -   Length.—1 mm.        -   Shape.—Rounded.        -   Color.—RHS Yellow-White 158A.        -   Pollen.—Moderate.        -   Pollen color.—RHS Yellow-White 158C.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—1.        -   Length.—1 mm.-   Stigma:    -   -   Shape.—Bi-lobed.        -   Color.—RHS Yellow-White 158A.        -   Style length.—0.5 mm.        -   Style color.—RHS Yellow-White 158C.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to the    normal diseases and pests of Hydrangea has been observed.-   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance: The new cultivar can tolerate    cold temperatures to approximately −31° C. and tolerates an upper    temperature range to at least 38° C.-   Fruit/seed production: Not observed to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plantnamed ‘COUHACINQ’ as herein illustrated and described.